punkin
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Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
Hello all,
I've opened a new project...inserted and audio track, added session drummer as a softsynth. Press record and I hear the drums playing and vu meters moving but a flat line is being recorded. I'm not much of a synth guy so I'm quite new at this. What do I have to do in order to record the session drummer?
Thank you,
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chuckebaby
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 17:33:06
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dont insert the audio track..just hit insert/soft synth/session drummer.
then you will have a midi track that stores all your data.
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Bigdogs
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 17:36:30
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Session drummer is just a softsynth like all the others. It responds to midi, which is played back through an audio track. The easiest way to use it is to insert it as a softsynth into an instrument track. You can drag midi from the SD3 gui into your instrument, or midi track, or you can record midi from your controller into the track, or use the step sequencer or PRV to write in your own patterns. If you want audio, just freeze the track.
Hope this helps
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 19:13:48
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That's what I was afraid of...this appears to be over my head. I've used other soft synths and I'm able to record the audio output. For some reason the Session Drummer doesn't allow me to record the audio output.
I tried inserting it as a midi track as well but when I hit record nothing is recorded (Midi or audio).
I have a feeling someone is going to point me to the video tutorials but I have to admit, they don't seem to cover what I'm trying to do.
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chuckebaby
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 19:24:35
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you dont insert nothing..on the top of the window were it says insert..click insert/softsynth/then choose s.s.d.3..it will automaticaly make a midi track for you..no need to insert any audio or midi track
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 19:43:40
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I get that part...insert as softsynth then I get one midi track and a whole bunch of audio tracks...one for each drum instrument...I hit record in the midi track but nothing is recorded.
I thank you for your patience
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/14 19:55:51
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Bigdogs
Session drummer is just a softsynth like all the others. It responds to midi, which is played back through an audio track. The easiest way to use it is to insert it as a softsynth into an instrument track. You can drag midi from the SD3 gui into your instrument, or midi track, or you can record midi from your controller into the track, or use the step sequencer or PRV to write in your own patterns. If you want audio, just freeze the track.
Hope this helps
what is prv?
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rbowser
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 01:07:09
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punkin
I get that part...insert as softsynth then I get one midi track and a whole bunch of audio tracks...one for each drum instrument...I hit record in the midi track but nothing is recorded.
I thank you for your patience
--To record a track with SD, or any soft synth, you need to record in the MIDI track with a MIDI controller. A keyboard, or pads. You'll have recorded data in the MIDI track which then plays back your work by triggering the sounds in SD. I think it's tutorial #4 which explains in detail how to use a soft synth. RB
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Bigdogs
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 02:22:59
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punkin
what is prv?
Piano Roll View (Views, Piano Roll View, or Alt-3), just another way of entering midi into a track
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Wildman
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 03:52:32
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OK..let me try here.
So you go to insert softsynth and it appears to behave as it should. Arm the synth track by clicking R. One thing...when you hit your keyboard ...do you here sounds? You should. Now press record tap in some keys on the keyboard...anything will do. It should record these as midi data. Little blocks in PRV or on the track. now rewind play...it should play.
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Zuma
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 07:11:15
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You don't need to record anything. You drag and drop the style pattern into the midi track and that's that. Load the kit/groove pattern you want into SD, click and hold on the note icon in the SD interface and you'll be able to drag the groove/fill pattern and drop it into the midi track. From there, with looping enabled in the synth properties, you can drag the pattern you dropped in the midi track for however many measures you need. Then when you're ready, you can bounce it to audio. Edit: I just wanted to clarify that the reason you're not able to record is because the actual samples are wav's. The groove/fill patterns are midi patterns, but your drum sounds are audio. You're basically trying to record audio as midi and this cannot be done. That's why you see the flat line. You can convert midi to audio but not the other way around. In order for you to do what you're trying to do is simply a matter of routing the audio correctly through your sound cards mixer back into an available audio track. But why you would want to do that is pointless... it's just that you don't yet understand how to use Session Drummer. I was doing the same thing when I fist used it because I didn't understand how to use SD either hehe.
post edited by Zuma - 2011/05/15 09:08:20
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 09:47:04
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Maybe I'm all screwed up here.
I right clicked...added softsynth (SD)...it populated with a midi track and some audio tracks for each of the instruments. I arm the midi track for recording. Open the soft synth view and select some pre-canned grooves and hit play...I hear the drums playing. Press the big record button on the top of the screen and it appears to be going through the motions but nothing is being recorded. I was hoping to record the pre-canned drum loops that are already available in the drumkit view of the Session Drummer. Is that not possible? I'm not trying to add or edit or create my own drum/midi tracks...just record what Session Drummer already has available.
Again thanks to you all for your patience and support. I'm sure I'm missing something fundamental here. Thank you.
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Zuma
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 09:55:44
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punkin
Maybe I'm all screwed up here.
I right clicked...added softsynth (SD)...it populated with a midi track and some audio tracks for each of the instruments. I arm the midi track for recording. Open the soft synth view and select some pre-canned grooves and hit play...I hear the drums playing. Press the big record button on the top of the screen and it appears to be going through the motions but nothing is being recorded. I was hoping to record the pre-canned drum loops that are already available in the drumkit view of the Session Drummer. Is that not possible? I'm not trying to add or edit or create my own drum/midi tracks...just record what Session Drummer already has available.
Again thanks to you all for your patience and support. I'm sure I'm missing something fundamental here. Thank you.
That's because you cannot record audio as MIDI. The drum sounds you are hearing are audio(wav)files. The groove patterns are MIDI but not the actual drum sounds. If you route the audio into one of the audio tracks then you can do as you're trying to do, but you are arming the MIDI track and trying to record the audio onto the MIDI track. This can't be done. What you want to do is hold your mouse over the little musical note icon in the Session Drummer interface, left click/hold and then drag and drop the pattern into the MIDI track. Then once you've built your drum track you can bounce it to audio.
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Combo
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 09:59:29
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I don't think the answers above are as simple as they could be, as they detail different approaches. Here is an easy way to create an SD drum part. (a) if you want to create your own original drum part using SD3 sounds. 1 - insert Session Drummer, choose 'First Synth Audio Output' only. Load the SD kit of your choice from the dropdown list. 2- insert a MIDI track into yr project, assign its input to MIDI channel 10, assign its output to Sess Drmmr3. With your MIDI kbd/controller also set to Ch 10, you should now be able to play the individual drum and cymbal sounds from the kbd. Press 'R' on the MID track, the metronome will kick off and you can record the sounds by playing them on yr MIDI kbd in real time (you'll need to layer the recording unless you've got 4 hands). OR, better for timing and more usual, write the parts into your assigned MIDI track in PRV or Staff View with the mouse (using a lot of copy and paste to save time). [Sorry I did of course mean arm for record and press 'R' on the PC keyboard, not 'R on the track]. (b) if you want to use the pre-written loops in Session Drummer for your drum part. 1 - insert Session Drummer, choose 'First Synth Audio Output' only. Load the kit of your choice. Audition each of the 'grooves' and fills labelled A to H. If you hear one you like, drag the little loop square (containing a 'quaver' shaped symbol and a plus sign) to an empty MIDI track (set up as at 2 in (a) above) at the measure where you want it to start. Copy it or drag it to continue into other measures as required. For variations/fills, insert other loops from the A to H list by dragging in the same way. Gradually, by dragging and copying the loops you'll have the drum part in that MIDI track. For more advanced use, there was an excellent series of vids produced on Utube by Cakewalk on using SD3.
post edited by Combo - 2011/05/15 10:11:04
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 10:09:55
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SCORE!!!!!
Huge THANKS! I get it now. This has been most enlightening. Thanks Combo and to all the others as well. I've just realized considerable value in this product. THANKS!
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rbowser
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 12:31:46
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Hi, Punkin - It's been an interesting read this morning, going through the replies you got. And it's good to see the story has ended happily. Combo talking you through with more detail was very helpful. Hoping to not confuse things - I want to offer two refinements to Combo's description, because they are potentially helpful: --When you insert SD or any synth, in the insert dialogue that comes up, you can ask for both audio and MIDI tracks. It's easiest if you say yes please, I would like a MIDI track. It's inserted already connected to SD. --Go to the Inspector or track header and set that MIDI channel to 10. --You don't need to ever change the MIDI channel of your keyboard, because when that SD MIDI track is selected for recording, it's already set to the MIDI channel you want. Changing the channel on your keyboard is confusing and unnecessary. --DO ask for all audio inputs out puts* to be added to your project, otherwise you'll have all parts of the kit on one track, and you'll quickly discover how limiting that is. For instance, once you start adding reverb to the tracks, you'll be stuck with the entire drum kit having the same amount of reverb. You'll have a wet, boomy kick. Much better to have individual audio outs for each part of the kit so you can control their volume in Sonar, and add other effects individually as needed. --But keep in mind you still only need the one MIDI track to either record your tracks, or to drag MIDI clips in from SD. Randy B. * Thanks for the help, Zuma, in pointing out the error.
post edited by rbowser - 2011/05/16 10:08:29
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punkin
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 14:45:36
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Thanks Randy...Now that I can get the SD doing something for me all that MIDI editing really looks much more powerful. Thanks for the pointers and the tips. Those online videos now become a lot more meaningful.
Thanks again to everyone.
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Zuma
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 15:04:15
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punkin
Thanks Randy...Now that I can get the SD doing something for me all that MIDI editing really looks much more powerful. Thanks for the pointers and the tips. Those online videos now become a lot more meaningful.
Thanks again to everyone.
Hehe. Yup, I know the feeling. I was strictly an audio guy when I first started using SD and I did the same exact thing you were doing. I would arm the midi track, hit record, see the red flat line and the steam would start rollin'. Inevitably I would give up and rout the audio back into an audio track and record it that way... which works but certainly isn't anywhere near as handy and you can't manipulate then. When the light finally turned on it opened up a whole new world. It would be cool though if you could just plug in a guit or bass and record it to midi. Man, that would be sweet as hell.
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Combo
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 22:20:38
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rbowser
Hi, Punkin - It's been an interesting read this morning, going through the replies you got. And it's good to see the story has ended happily. Combo talking you through with more detail was very helpful.
Hoping to not confuse things - I want to offer two refinements to Combo's description, because they are potentially helpful:
--When you insert SD or any synth, in the insert dialogue that comes up, you can ask for both audio and MIDI tracks. It's easiest if you say yes please, I would like a MIDI track. It's inserted already connected to SD.
--Go to the Inspector or track header and set that MIDI channel to 10.
--You don't need to ever change the MIDI channel of your keyboard, because when that SD MIDI track is selected for recording, it's already set to the MIDI channel you want. Changing the channel on your keyboard is confusing and unnecessary.
--DO ask for all audio inputs to be added to your project, otherwise you'll have all parts of the kit on one track, and you'll quickly discover how limiting that is. For instance, once you start adding reverb to the tracks, you'll be stuck with the entire drum kit having the same amount of reverb. You'll have a wet, boomy kick. Much better to have individual audio outs for each part of the kit so you can control their volume in Sonar, and add other effects individually as needed.
--But keep in mind you still only need the one MIDI track to either record your tracks, or to drag MIDI clips in from SD.
Randy B.
Without wanting to argue or split hairs - these are useful refinements you've added - changing the kbd channel is absolutely necessary on my setup, and I thought asking for all audio inputs might be a nuance too far for the purposes getting the thing working.
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Zuma
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Re:Recording Session Drummer as softsynth
2011/05/15 22:40:21
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All audio inputs? Or all audio outputs? It's the latter, I believe. Anyway, I'm glad RB posted that because once again, as mainly an audio guy, I was having a little trouble figuring out how to route the individual instruments to their own separate outputs. Very helpful thread at any rate!
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